JACKSON, MI - A 43-year-old man who pleaded guilty to murdering a 13-year-old girl this past February was reportedly found dead inside his prison cell earlier in March, with Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) officials investigating the matter as a possible suicide.
On March 26th, MDOC staff reportedly discovered the body of 43-year-old Jarvis Butts inside a cell within the Charles E. Egeler Reception and Guidance Center, which is one of the state’s male prison facilities located within the Blackman Charter Township of Jackson County.
Butts, who’d pleaded guilty to the murder and sexual assault of 13-year-old Na’Ziyah Harris on February 12th, had reportedly been handed down a sentence of 35 to 60 years in prison just two weeks before his body was discovered.
In the case of the murdered girl, authorities never found Harris’ remains after she went missing in January 2024. Per the terms of the plea agreement reached this past February, Butts reportedly shared with prosecutors the location of Harris’ body, with Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy saying, “One of the most important aspects of the plea agreement was giving Na’Ziyah’s family some semblance of closure.”
Butts had also pleaded guilty to five separate counts of sexually assaulting minors, with offenses dating back to 2013. Butts' sexual assault victims were reportedly aged between 4 and 13 years old at the time of the offenses, according to officials.
An official cause of death has not been released as of this writing, although MDOC spokesperson Jenni Riehle confirmed Butts’ death is being treated as a possible suicide. After MDOC staff discovered Butts inside the prison cell, Riehle said, “MDOC staff provided life-saving measures which were unsuccessful.”
Although Butts’ passing is being actively treated as a suicide, inmates convicted of crimes against children typically do not fare well in the prison system, with data out of California showing they’re twice as likely to be killed by other inmates during their incarceration.
Michigan State Police are actively involved in the investigation.
On March 26th, MDOC staff reportedly discovered the body of 43-year-old Jarvis Butts inside a cell within the Charles E. Egeler Reception and Guidance Center, which is one of the state’s male prison facilities located within the Blackman Charter Township of Jackson County.
Butts, who’d pleaded guilty to the murder and sexual assault of 13-year-old Na’Ziyah Harris on February 12th, had reportedly been handed down a sentence of 35 to 60 years in prison just two weeks before his body was discovered.
In the case of the murdered girl, authorities never found Harris’ remains after she went missing in January 2024. Per the terms of the plea agreement reached this past February, Butts reportedly shared with prosecutors the location of Harris’ body, with Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy saying, “One of the most important aspects of the plea agreement was giving Na’Ziyah’s family some semblance of closure.”
Butts had also pleaded guilty to five separate counts of sexually assaulting minors, with offenses dating back to 2013. Butts' sexual assault victims were reportedly aged between 4 and 13 years old at the time of the offenses, according to officials.
An official cause of death has not been released as of this writing, although MDOC spokesperson Jenni Riehle confirmed Butts’ death is being treated as a possible suicide. After MDOC staff discovered Butts inside the prison cell, Riehle said, “MDOC staff provided life-saving measures which were unsuccessful.”
Although Butts’ passing is being actively treated as a suicide, inmates convicted of crimes against children typically do not fare well in the prison system, with data out of California showing they’re twice as likely to be killed by other inmates during their incarceration.
Michigan State Police are actively involved in the investigation.
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